Carmelo Anthony's 36 points led the New York Knicks to a series-opening 85-78 victory over the Boston Celtics. / Debby Wong, USA TODAY Sports

by Sean Highkin, USA TODAY Sports

by Sean Highkin, USA TODAY Sports

In the most high-profile game of the opening day of the 2013 NBA Playoffs, Carmelo Anthony led the New York Knicks to an 85-78 victory over the Boston Celtics, scoring 36 points. However, the victory wasn't as easy as it could have been, mostly because Anthony went away from what's made him one of the most dangerous scorers in the league this season.

Anthony is at his best when he attacks the basket and runs pick-and-rolls with Tyson Chandler, who was a complete non-factor on Saturday. A look at the distribution of Anthony's shots during the regular season as compared to his shot selection in game one is telling.

Unlike most shooters, Anthony has had more success shooting three-pointers above the break than from the corners. Five of his three-point attempts on Saturday came in those areas, and he shot 4-for-5 on those. The biggest difference between this game and his season was that he was unable to get to the rim or the foul line. He shot six free throws, which is below his season average of 7.6, and only took four shots inside the restricted area.

After taking the first game at home, the Knicks are on track to beat the Celtics in this series. However, it'll be much easier if Anthony plays to his strengths. His 36 points weren't a surprise. The 29 shots he took to reach that number were, and it's something that can easily be avoided. If he stops settling for mid-range isolations and starts attacking the basket and making use of Chandler's incomparable finishing ability, the Knicks will be nearly unbeatable.

Honoring Boston at MSG: Following the capture of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, it was an emotional day for the city of Boston, something the rest of the country knew all too well. The Celtics wore patches on their jerseys honoring the first responders and law-enforcement members who risked their lives in the aftermath of the tragedy. Anthony and Celtics forward Paul Pierce addressed the crowd at Madison Square Garden before the game. Pierce thanked the city of New York for its support, and Anthony compared the support across the country for the people of Boston to the help New York received in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. A powerful scene all around.

The day in JaVale: You never know what you're going to get from JaVale McGee on any given night-or on any given possession. One thing's for sure, though: you can never take your eyes off him when he's on the floor.

He can catch shots at their apex, turning a block into a rebound (or, more often, into a goaltend).

His off-the-charts leaping ability allows him to finish almost any lob. On Saturday, he caught one from Andre Miller at half-court, on a fast-break he started with a rebound.

JaVale also threw down a monster dunk on Andrew Bogut.

Finally, JaVale had an impressive block of a dunk attempt by Warriors forward David Lee. That one wasn't a goaltend.

Age ain't nothing but a number: Two of the biggest stars of Saturday's action have been in the NBA since the Clinton administration. 37-year-old Andre Miller exploded for 28 points to power the Nuggets to a 97-95 win at home. It was his lay-in just before the final buzzer that sealed the game for Denver.

Not to be outdone, 36-year-old Chauncey Billups played a key role in the Los Angeles Clippers' 112-91 win over the Memphis Grizzlies at the Staples Center. The 16-year NBA veteran scored 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including an insanely difficult and-one that seemed like it hung on the rim for several minutes before rolling in.

Andrew Bogut is back: One silver lining for the Warriors was Bogut's performance. The Australian center was a defensive presence for Golden State, clogging the paint and finishing with 14 rebounds and 4 blocks. Games like this were what the Warriors had in mind when they traded for the former No. 1 overall pick at the 2012 trade deadline, but he hasn't been able to stay healthy. His defense kept the Warriors in this game despite a relatively poor shooting performance from Stephen Curry. If this keeps up and Curry rediscovers his stroke, there's no reason the Warriors can't pull off a first-round upset.

Talkin' about practice? Los Angeles Lakers big man Pau Gasol is gearing up for his team's first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs, and his former head coach took the opportunity to give him some good-natured ribbing. "You...practice?...I must be dreaming," Phil Jackson tweeted in response to Gasol.

Next up:

The other four first-round series tip off Sunday (all times p.m. Eastern).

Paul George and the Indiana Pacers host Josh Smith and the Atlanta Hawks at 1 on TNT.

The second-seeded Spurs face off against the Kobe Bryant-less Lakers at 3:30 on ABC.

LeBron James and the Miami Heat begin their title defense against the Milwaukee Bucks at 7 on TNT.

James Harden's Houston Rockets visit his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, at 9:30 on TNT.